Moving-picture apparatus.



, PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

R. 0. WAGNER. MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DE(J.3,1904.'

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1i PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906. I R. G. WAGNER. MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

.APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 3. 1904.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

0711 v0! 1 (0 I 1161' Wa ner.

No. 811,341. 4 PA'IBNTED JAN. 30, 1906.

R. O. WAGNER.

MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.3,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. gszilneuej: 0] 110871/022 I ('Z' 'M C 33 011171101.

PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

R. C. WAGNER.

MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, N04

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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i To all whom it may concern:

ROBERT o. WAGNER, or TOLEDO, orno,

MOVING-PICTURE APPARATUS.

. Be it known that 1, ROBERT C. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing ,a't Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and I useful Improvements in Moving-Picture Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention re ates to certain new and useful improvements in moving-picture apparatus, and relates in particular to that class of moving-picture apparatus known as mutoscopes, and the object of this invention is toprovide a mutoscope wherein stereoscopic effects can be produced, so that the moving pictures will have in addition to the effect of an animated scene or picture which is produced in the ordinary mutoscope the wellknown and beautiful appearance of relief and aerial perspective which-is seen in the stereoscope. g 1

Another object of this invention is to provide a mutoscope wherein a plurality of cylinders each provided with photographic or otherreproductions are. arranged so that the pictures on the several cylinders-may be successively viewed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide novel means in a mutoscope for easting upon the pictures to be viewed rays of light of various colors, this feature of the inventionbeing particularly applicable when the pictures to be viewed are of certain classes,

operations of the device, which mechanism will behereinafter fully described; and the inventionconsists in the novel means for accomplishing the several objects defined and others that will be hereinafter developed and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,illustrating this invention, similar letters and numerals are used in the several views to designate cor- 5 responding parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 3, /1904. Serial No. 235.339.

Patented 'Jan. 30,. 1906.

transverse sectional view of the complete apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation, partly in section, ofone of the picture-carrying cylinders, showin line :4 4 of Fig. 1 looking toward the front of the casing. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the casing of the apparatus, showing in detail portions of the the mechanism by means of i which the cyllnders are revolved and stopped. when they have made a complete revolution.

coin controlled and .electricallyactuated mechanism for successively bringing the several cylinders into view and turning the cylinders. Fig; 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the mechanism for moving the cylinders successively into the line of vision of a person using the machine; and Fig. 7 is an end view of one of the cylinders, showing the manner of attaching the picture mountings thereto.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will 'be seen that the apparatus is mounted in a pictures, the three sets being lettered, re-

spectively, A, A ,,and A The pictures are mounted upon flexible mountings, such as cardboard, and each set of pictures, it is to be understood, are stereoscopic picturesthat is, each card contains two similar'views made in the manner of the wellknown stereoscopic photographs'and these pictures are viewed through a stereoscope S, mounted at a suitable and convenient point inthe case B. In the drawings I have shown only a portion of each set of picture-mountings, so as to avoid obscuring the view of certain parts of the mechanism; but it is to be understood'that each set of pictures entirely surrounds the shaft on which it is mounted, the arrangement being the same as that in the ordinary mutoscope, with the exception that the picture-mountings are secured in place in anovel manner, which will be hereinafter described. The several sets of pictures are mounted upon hubs or cylinders F, F and F respectively, and these hubs have at their ends stub-shafts 8 9, which are 3' ournaled in the arms of threearmed spiders D,while the spiders are mounted on a shaft E, which is journaled in the sides of the casing. Arms 5 5 extend out from one side 5 of the legs of the spiders at each side of each of the picture carrying hubs, and these arms carry cross-bars 6, upon which are pivotally mounted spring-fingers H, that serve to hold the edges of the picture-mountings so that as the hubs are turned the pictures will be successively exposed to view in the wellknown manner employed in the ordinary mutoscopes.

A worm-wheel P, which is provided with I 5 an integral sleeve p, is mounted on the shaft E outside the spider on one end of the shaft, and a spiral spring 1 surrounds this sleeve and is attached at 2 to the worm-wheel P and is attached at 3 to the hub of the spider D. The wormwheel P is loosely mounted on the shaft E and is held against longitudinal movement by a collar which is fixed in position on the shaft by a set-screw. A horizontal shaft L is journaled in a frame 25 J, secured upon the insideof the case B, and this shaft carries on its inner end a worm O, that meshes with the-worm wheel P, so that when this shaft is turned the spiders D will be revolved on the shaft E, so as to successively '0 bring the several sets of pictures within the line of vision through a'stereoscope S. The shaft L has a bearing in a sleeve M, which is journaled in the case B,'and the sleeve M has affixed to its outer end outside the case a han- 3 5 dle T, by means of which the sleeveMmay be revolved. A cup-shaped friction clutch member 23 is formed integral with the sleeve M,

and a friction-plate 24 is formed integral with a a sleeve 24, that is mounted on the shaft L, and the plate 24 is brought into contact with the clutch member 23 when the shaft L is to be revolved. The sleeve 24 is formed with a slightly-oblong opening 25, in which works a pin 25, that passes transversely through the shaft L, the oblong opening permitting of a limited movement of the sleeve 24 on the shaft L and the pin causing the shaft to be turned when the friction clutch-plate 24 is turned. A spring 28 is secured at one end to the shaft L and at the other endto the sleeve 24, and this spring serves to normallydraw the plate 24 away from the clutch member 23. The sleeve 24 is formed with a peripheral groove 26, which is embraced b the bi- 5 5 furcated arms 27 of a bell crank ever 29, that is pivotally mounted on a shaft 29 and pivotallyconnected to the cores 30 of solenoid 31, that is mounted in fixed position on suitable brackets 32, secured to the case B.

In Fig, 1 of the drawings it will be observed that one of the sets of pictures is in such position that one of the pictures thereon (lettered Y) is in the line of vision through the stereoscope S, and this picture and each picture which is successively exposed to sight by the from the chute by a spiral spring 36 sneer revolution of'the hub F is illuminated by the light from an incandescent electric lamp W, which is mounted in a cylindrical casing U, formed integral with the main case B and having an opening at one point within the caseB. The lamp W is surrounded by acylinder of glass or other transparent materialV, and this cylinder is differently colored for portions of its periphery, being provided with any desired number of colored sections, so that as the cyl- 7 5 inder is revolved the color of the light thrown a on the pictures exposed to View will change,

its length. The coin-chute (designated 32) is providedwith a slot 33 in its side, said slot being provided for the purpose of allowing a coin of wrong denomination to drop out of the side of the chute before operating the electrical appliances heretofore described. The 9 5 curved end of the chute is hinged to the straight portion of the same at 34, and a light spring 34 v is fixed on the side of the chute, so as to normally maintain the curved portion. of the same in alinement with the straight portion therof. A bolt 35 is supported in a fixed arm 36 and impelled in a direction away E h of the arms of the spider on one side of the picture-carrying hubs is formed with an abutment Q, which at a certain position of parts bears against the bolt 35, so as to push the same toward the curved portion of the coin-- chute, and the bolt 35jis beveled on one edge, so that when it is impelled forward by the abutment Q it will press against the side of the coin-chute and swing the curved portion thereof slightly to' one side. An arm 38 is swiveled on a shaft 39, and this arm projects under the curved end of the coin-chute and x15 serves to receive a coin and hold the same in position during the time a set of pictures is being exhibited. A pin 37 projects laterally from an arm on the lower end of the curved portion of the coin-chute, and when the said curved end of the coin chute is moved to one side by the bolt 35 this pin serves to sustain the arm 38 in proper position. "A spring 0011- tact-plate 40is mounted in a binding-post 42 just above the outer end of the arm 33, and this spring contact-plate carries a contactpoint that makes contact with a contactpoint carried by a fixed bar 41 when the arm 38 is depressed by the weight of the coin. A wire marked is connected to the binding- 130,

post 42, and the wire marked is connected to the bar 41, and these wires constitute a portion of. the electric circuit which passes throu h theincandescent lamp W and through the soIenoid 31, it beingunderstood, of course, that current is supplied to this circuit from a suitable sourceof electrical energy.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, which show in detail the mechanism for revolving the picture carrying hubs, designates a short shaft which is journaled in the frame J, and upon this shaft is mounted a worm-wheel I, that meshes with a worm- K, fixed on the shaft L. The worm-wheel I has a hub I on its inner side, and this hub is formed with a diametrical slot I", into which the squared end 8 'of the shaft 8 fits when the spider has been revolved so as to bring the shaft 8 into alinement with the shaft 10 of the wormwheel I. The frame J is formed with a lateral extension J, and in this extension is pivotally mounted a pivoted trigger 15, which is normally pressed outwardly by a spring 16.

The trigger 15 normally stands in such position that its upper end will lie along the abutment Q on that end of the arm of the spider which carries thesetof pictures about to be exposed to View. A pin 18 is carried by the worm-wheel I near the rim thereof, and this pin as the Worm-wheel is revolved contacts with the lower end of the trigger 15 and throws the upper end of the trigger from beneath the abutment Q when the worm-wheel has made a complete revolution and all the pictures thereof have been exposed to view.

' Referrin to Fig. 7 of the drawings, Wherein I have ilustrated the means for securing the picture-mountings to the'hubs, F designates one of the hubs, and in this hub, at each end thereof, are mounted the radially-disposed spring-arms 22, and these spring-arms carry metallicrings 21, that are radially slitdially all around the hub.

ted on their inner sides to receive the picturemountings' 1 1, these mountingsbeing pushed into the radial slits in the rings at each end of the hub, so that the mountings project ra- I have shown in this figure but a limited number of the picture-mountings, some of them being shown as being strai ht and some of them bent to the position t ey assume while they are being restrained by the spring-finger H in the position shown in Fig. 1. The result accomplished by attaching the picture-mountings 1n this manner is that a short card can be used and it dispenses with the necessity of directly attaching the inner edges of the. -mount1ngs to the hub. The spring-sustained rings 21 give added resiliency to the icture-mountings and cause them when reeased to pass qulckly out of the line of sight. The operation of my apparatus is as follows A coin being dropped in the coin-chute 32 falls upon the arm 38 and depresses the same, causing the spring-tongue 40- to be contact in the arm 41.

pressed upwardly and bringing it into contact with the contact-point carried by the fixed arm. 41. A circuit is thus established through the lamp W and thesolenoid 31, and the lamp is lighted, and simultaneously with the lighting of the lamp the solenoid-core is drawn into the solenoid and the clutchplate 24 is brought into contact with'the clutch member 23, The handle T is now turned and the shaft L revolved. The worm- Wheels I and P will be turned by the worms K and 0; but the worm O and worm-wheel P are so constructed relatively to the worm K and Worm-wheel I that the Worm-wheel P will be turned but a portion of a revolution during the time the'worm-wheel I is making a complete revolution. The turning of the worm-wheel I causes the pictures on the hub F to be successively exposedto view, and at the same time the revolution of the transparent cylinder V will change the light which is being cast upon the pictures from the lamp W. As the worm-wheel P revolves the spring 1 will be wound up, and eventually when the spider is released the resiliency of this spring will cause the spider to revolve on its shaft and bring another set of pictures into position to be viewed through the stereoscope S. When the worm-wheel I has made a complete revolution, it is stopped at the position from which it is started by means of a spring-pin 19, that springs into a socket Z in the spiderarm, and at this moment pin 18 contacts with the lower end of the trigger 1'5 and throws the trigger from under the abutment Q on the end of the spider, and the resiliency of the spring being stopped after it has made a third of a revolution by the contact of the abutment Q on the neXt succeeding arm of the spider with the trigger 15, which by this time has resumed its normal position below such abutment. As the spider revolves in the manner above described the abutmentQ of the spider, which is coming forward and downward into the horizontal position just before it reaches the trigger 15, strikes the outer end of the bolt 35 and pushes the same toward the lunged end of the coin-chute, this movement of the bolt having the effect of pushing the hinged end of the coin-chute slightly to one side and permitting the coin therein to drop into a suitable receptacle, (not shown and arranged at "a suitable point within the case B.) The dropping of the coin permits the arm 38 to resume its normal position and break contact between the contact-plate and the fixed The electrical ci rcuit being thus broken, the solenoid 31 will be denergized, and the spring 28 Wlll throw the clutchplate 24 away from the clutch member '23, and simultaneously the light of the lamp W will beextinguished.

By the construction of the hub and its con- 7 tures carried by the hub, a party-colored cylinder surrounding said light, and means whereby said cylinder will be revolved simultaneously with the revolving of the hub.

2. In a mutoscope, the combination of a case, a spider mounted to revolve in said case, a plurality of hubs journaled in said spider, mutoscopic pictures mounted on said hubs, means for revolving the spider so as to bring the hubs successively to a predetermined point, and means for revolving each hub after it has reached said predetermined point. I 3. In a mutoscope, the combination of a case, spiders revolubly mounted in said case, a plurality of hubs mounted in said spiders, means for revolving the spiders to bring the hubs successively to a predetermined position, and within the range of vision, means for stopping the revolution of the spiders when one of said hubs has reached suchjpredetermined position, means for revolving the hub which has reached the aforesaid position, means for automatically releasing the spiders when the hub has made a complete revolution, means for automatically stopping the next-succeeding hub at the position occupied by the hub first thrown into action.

4. In a mutoscope, the combination of a rotary spider, a plurality of mutoscopic hubs mounted on said spider and carrying mutoscopic pictures, a manually-operated shaft, a clutch member carried by said shaft, a shaft operably connected to and adapted to turn said spider, a clutch member carried bythe last-mentioned shaft, meanscarried by said cuit and thereby energizing the solenoid whereby said clutch members will be brought into engagement with one another.

5. In a mutoscope, the combination of a plurality of mutoscopic hubs each furnished with a set of pictures, means for successively 6o bringing the pictures on each hub into si ht, and means for revolving each hub w en brought into sight so as to successively expose the pictures thereon to view.

6. In a moving-picture apparatus, the

combination of a plurality of sets of moving pictures, means for successively bringing each set of pictures into a position to be viewed, and means for operating each set of pictures so as to produce a moving-picture effect. 7. In a moving-picture apparatus, the combination of a plurality of sets of moving pictures, means for successively bringing each set into view, means for illuminatin the pictures when brou ht into view, an means for changin the 0 aracter of the illumination during t e time the pictures are being viewed.

8. In a mutoscope, the combination with a hub of sprin s projecting from said hub, radially-slotte rings carried by said springs and adapted to receive the edges of picturemountings.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT C. WAGNER. Witnesses:

L. SPITZIG, E. J. KEsLER. 

